drift and shift (was: comma shifts in performance)

> From: "wallyesterpaulrus" <wallyesterpaulrus@yahoo.com>
> To: <tuning@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, October 29, 2002 2:49 PM
> Subject: [tuning] Re: comma shifts in performance
>
>
> johnny, i notice that monz's dictionary isn't clear on this
> distinction, and contains links that can cause one to confuse the two.
>
> so for you and monz:
>
> a shift is an *immediate* change in the pitch of a note, as the note
> is held or repeated from one harmony into another.
>
> a drift is an overall pitch change of the entire scale. its effect on
> the pitch of any note doesn't become evident until an entire "comma
> pump" chord progression has been traversed.
>
> for example, in the classic problem of rendering the I-vi-ii-V-I
> progression in strict JI, one either has a shift (the 2nd scale
> degree shifts from 10/9 in the ii chord to 9/8 in the V chord) and no
> drift, or a drift (the final I is lower by 80:81 than the initial I)
> and no shifts.

thanks, paul. i've included the above in the definition
of "commatic drift".

-monz
"all roads lead to n^0"